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April 18, 2015Saturday of the Second Week of Easter    Reading 1 Acts 6:1-7 As the number of disciples continued to grow,the Hellenists complained against the Hebrewsbecause their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,“It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,filled with the Spirit and wisdom,whom we shall appoint to this task,whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayerand to the ministry of the word.”The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,so...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem Character Studies From The Bible Samuel New International Version (NIV) 12 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you. 2 Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. 3 Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I...

Pray For Our American Heroes and Our Nation The LORD looked down from His sanctuary on high, from heaven He viewed the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death. Psalm 102:19-20 (NIV) ----

April 17, 2015Friday of the Second Week of Easter    Reading 1 Acts 5:34-42 A Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel,a teacher of the law, respected by all the people,stood up, ordered the Apostles to be put outside for a short time,and said to the Sanhedrin, “Fellow children of Israel,be careful what you are about to do to these men.Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important,and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed,and all those who were loyal to himwere disbanded and came to nothing.After him came Judas the Galilean at the time...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem Character Studies From The Bible Samuel New International Version (NIV) 12 The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel.” 14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king in the presence of the Lord....

Pray For Our American Heroes and Our Nation Stand Firm Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

April 16, 2015Thursday of the Second Week of Easter    Reading 1 Acts 5:27-33 When the court officers had brought the Apostles inand made them stand before the Sanhedrin,the high priest questioned them,“We gave you strict orders did we not,to stop teaching in that name.Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teachingand want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,“We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.God exalted him at his right hand as leader and...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem Character Studies From The Bible Samuel New International Version (NIV) 9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. 10 When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. 11 When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 A man...

April 15, 2015Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter    Reading 1 Acts 5:17-26 The high priest rose up and all his companions,that is, the party of the Sadducees,and, filled with jealousy,laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail.But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison,led them out, and said,“Go and take your place in the temple area,and tell the people everything about this life.”When they heard this,they went to the temple early in the morning and taught.When the high priest and his companions arrived,they convened the Sanhedrin,the...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem Character Studies From The Bible Samuel New International Version (NIV) 10 Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance?[a] 2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about you. He is asking, “What shall...

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. ----- and we know that This One is truly The Messiah, the savior of the world. (Matthew 16:15-17; John 4:42)

April 14, 2015Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter   Reading 1 Acts 4:32-37 The community of believers was of one heart and mind,and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,but they had everything in common.With great power the Apostles bore witnessto the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,and great favor was accorded them all.There was no needy person among them,for those who owned property or houses would sell them,bring the proceeds of the sale,and put them at the feet of the Apostles,and they were distributed to each according to need. Thus Joseph, also named by the...

Two Gifts of Deeper Prayer: Silence and Spaciousness By: Msgr. Charles PopeOne of the great spiritual battles and journeys is to get beyond, and outside our self. St. Augustine described one of the chief effects of sin was that man was curvatus in se (turned in on himself, i.e. turned inward). Forgetful of God we loose our way. Called to look outward and upward, to behold the Lord and his glory, instead we focus inward and downward, on things that are passing, noisy, troubling, and far less noble. No longer seeing our Father’s face and experiencing joyful confidence, we...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem Character Studies From The Bible Samuel New International Version (NIV) 9 There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. 2 Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. 3 Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and...

April 13, 2015Monday of the Second Week of Easter    Reading 1 Acts 4:23-31 After their release Peter and John went back to their own peopleand reported what the chief priests and elders had told them.And when they heard it,they raised their voices to God with one accordand said, “Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earthand the sea and all that is in them,you said by the Holy Spiritthrough the mouth of our father David, your servant: Why did the Gentiles rageand the peoples entertain folly?The kings of the earth took their standand the princes gathered togetheragainst the Lord...

I've never done this before and I hope i'm doing this right.. Sunday the 29 of March I went into the Hospital with an AFib (Atrial Fibrillation) that wouldn't stop.After they got my heart beat back to normal 67 beats per minute instead of 180.. I've had AFIBS now since 2010 but they always flipped to normal after 6 to 12 hours..Since I have COPD this only compounds the problem.. Stopped Smoking 2009.. Then After my release I got Phenomena Went back into the Hospital on the following Sunday and was released on Wednesday.. Please say a little Prayer for...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem Character Studies From The Bible Samuel New International Version (NIV) 8 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.[a] 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. 4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a...

April 12, 2015Sunday of Divine Mercy    Reading 1 Acts 4:32-35 The community of believers was of one heart and mind,and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,but they had everything in common.With great power the apostles bore witnessto the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,and great favor was accorded them all.There was no needy person among them,for those who owned property or houses would sell them,bring the proceeds of the sale,and put them at the feet of the apostles,and they were distributed to each according to need. Responsorial Psalm Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 R. (1)...